Here, we look at the previous times the world's top two players have found themselves in the same group, with McIlroy holding the upper hand:

PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP, May 7-8, 2015

Much was made of a possible "rivalry" between the pair following Spieth's first major victory in the Masters a month earlier, but their meeting at Sawgrass turned into something of a damp squib. Spieth missed the halfway cut following rounds of 75 and 72, with McIlroy shooting 69 and 71 on his way to a top-10 finish.

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, July 17-18, 2014

Spieth at least made the cut at Hoylake with rounds of 71 and 75 - but was an incredible 14 shots adrift of McIlroy, who shot 66 on Thursday and Friday to take command of the tournament on his way to a first Open title.

MASTERS, April 10-11, 2014

Both players carded opening rounds of 71 to lie just three shots off the lead, but while Spieth remained in contention with a 70 on Friday, McIlroy shot 77 to make the cut on the mark of four over and, to make matters worse, was then outscored by his marker - Augusta member Jeff Knox - on Saturday.

VALERO TEXAS OPEN, April 4-5, 2013

Just months into his professional career, Spieth shot 71 to McIlroy's 72 in the first round, but could only manage a 76 in the second round to miss the cut, while McIlroy shot 67 and would only be denied victory two days later by a closing 63 from Scotland's Martin Laird.